musica Dei donum

Concert reviews

Over the years people have been complaining that the Holland Festival
Early Music in Utrecht was moving too far into the 19th century, and
even contemporary music was programmed, and that the 'real' early
music, music of the pre-baroque era, was neglected. They can't complain
this year: the overall subject of the festival is '10 centuries of
polyphony'. Jacob Obrecht is 'composer in residence', as he died in
1505. The other renaissance composer who is paid attention to, is
Thomas Tallis, who was most likely born in that same year.
It was Tallis' most spectacular composition, the 40-part motet
Spem in alium, which was performed during the opening night, which took
place in the Cathedral (Domkerk). Normally this church is avoided in
the programming of the festival, because of its large reverberation,
which makes the performance of much repertoire rather difficult. But
for polyphonic vocal music, with its long legato lines and not too fast
tempi this church is almost ideal, as it indeed turned out to be during
the opening event.

It started with plainchant, monophonic of course -
13th-century chants from the mass for the Assumption. These chants were
sung as the audience entered the church. So it was mainly background
music, sometimes hardly audible, but just enough to create the right
atmosphere and to prepare the audience for the things to come.
Early polyphony was performed by the Ensemble Organum, directed by
Marcel Pérès. Listening to these chants one realises how much our
experience of time differs from that of the Middle Ages. These chants
seem to progress at an incredibly low speed and require a lot of
patience from the audience. The ensemble also sang a piece Marcel Pérès
has composed himself, under the influence of the music he pays so much
attention to. But it just dragged on for too long, turning into a
rather modern piece of a more or less minimalistic character. In
comparison the pretty long pieces of 'real' early music were much
easier to swallow.

The performance of traditional chants from the Finno-Ugrian
cultural region (where Finland, Russia and Estonia meet) seems to be a
little out of touch with a programme of 'classical' polyphony, in
particular as the pieces sung by the ensembles Ma Naiset and Toorama
are not religious in character and are not intended to be sung in a
church. On the other hand, this music is certainly no simple 'folk
music', but rather complicated polyphonic music which is still in
existence and which these ensembles attempt to preserve. The sound
production and the use of the human voice may seem very different from
that in traditional polyphony, the confrontation between these
performances and those of the Ensemble Organum was most interesting, as
this ensemble's interpretations are also influenced by traditions still
in existence - in Sardinia and Corsica this time. Hearing them after
each other reveals their style of singing is less different than one
would expect.

A festival choir, directed by Adrián Rodríguez van der Spoel,
sang some pieces from the Llibre Vermell, a motet by Guerrero and, as
said, Tallis' motet Spem in alium. It was a shame the spatial
possibilities of the church weren't used, as they were during the rest
of the programme. The motet would have been even more spectacular had
the sounds come from different directions. But that probably would be a
little too complicated for what was an 'ad hoc' choir after all. One
the one hand Tallis' motet never fails to make a huge impression, on
the other hand it is a most eloquent argument in favour of the monodic
style, as the text of the motet can hardly be understood, certainly not
in a reverberant church.

In a programme with polyphony one of the greatest composers of
polyphonic music of all time, Johann Sebastian Bach, can't fail. So
some of his organ pieces were played by Leo van Doeselaar. One of
Bach's most ingenious compositions, the 'Triple Fugue' in E flat (BWV
552/2), usually interpreted as a tribute to the Trinity, was closing
the night. The large organ in the Cathedral, a 19th-century instrument
by Bätz, is hardly the appropriate vehicle for Bach's music, but Leo
van Doeselaar did manage to keep the polyphony clearly audible and to
show the ingenious way in which the three subjects are interwoven.

Due to intelligent programming and good performances this was
an evening which made one look forward to what the festival has in
store.

The lunchtime
concerts belong to the most succesful events of the festival. In
particular the concerts on both Saturdays guarantee a big audience.
That wasn't different this time, as Musica Amphion, directed by
Pieter-Jan Belder, played Bach's Musicalisches Opfer. One of the
problematic aspects of a festival like this is the relationship between
the music and the venue where it is performed. The Musicalisches Opfer
is a chamber music work, played here with transverse lute, violin,
cello and harpsichord. The large auditorium wasn't the right place to
play this piece. I wouldn't go so far to say that it fell flat on its
face, but it didn't have the impact it would have had if it had been
played in a more intimate atmosphere, where it belongs. I have also to
say that I didn't find the performance very inspired. Some tempi were a
little too slow, but I missed the energy, the contrast and the colour I
expect in a performance of this masterpiece. The flautist Kate Clark
was alright, but I have problems with the violinist Rémy Baudet, whose
sound I find too pale and thin. I also don't understand why in some
pieces a chamber organ was used. The parts I enjoyed most were the ones
played by Pieter-Jan Belder on the harpsichord.

In the afternoon I attended the first concert of this festival
which was devoted to the 'composer in residence', Jacob Obrecht. Here
the venue was spot on: the medieval Nikolaïkerk, which has exactly the
right atmosphere and the reverberation where this music can blossom.
The concert was given by the Flemish ensemble Capilla Flamenca,
directed by Dirk Snellings. The plainchant during the concert was
performed by the ensemble Psallentes, directed by Hendrik Vanden
Abeelen. The Capilla Flamenca is one of the most interesting and
enterprising ensembles in the field of renaissance music as several
aspects of this concert showed.
Firstly, in this concert the compositions by Obrecht were put in
their liturgical context. The concert wasn't a 'liturgical
reconstruction' of any kind, but, as the programme notes said, "Capilla
Flamenca and Psallentes have decided to present an imaginary Mary
celebration, a mosaic compiled from elements of different celebrations
throughout the church calender".
Another interesting aspect is the pronunciation of the Latin
texts, which avoids the characteristics of the Italian pronunciation
mostly used in present-day performances, and is closely connected to
the Dutch language, the vernacular in the city of Bergen op Zoom where
Obrecht lived a number of years. Whether the particular pieces which
were performed during the concert ever have been performed in those
years is another matter, of course.
Also interesting is that in some pieces the upper voices were sung
by a group of children. These were specifically trained for this
project. Is it an indication of the decay of cathedral choirs of boys
and men in Belgium that no experienced young singers were available and
that most of the children were girls? Their contributions, admirable as
they were, did show a lack of experience in comparison with those
all-male choirs who sing together on a daily basis and receive a
day-to-day training in music of this kind.
Another widespread phenomenon during the renaissance was the
alternatim practice: liturgical pieces are partially sung and partially
played at the organ. This practice was also applied during this
concert, in which the organ was played by Reitze Smits. The
'neo-baroque' Marcussen organ is not the ideal instrument for this
task, but better suited than any specific baroque or romantic organ.
And Reitze Smits wisely avoided the most unpleasant sound
characteristics of this organ.
The concert as a whole was a most interesting and musically rewarding experience.

For a long time the music of Alessandro Scarlatti has been
mostly neglected. But it seems he is making a strong comeback right
now. In particular some of his oratorios have been received and
recorded recently. These turn out to be real discoveries to treasure.
Fabio Biondi presented another oratorio in the night concert in the
Muziekcentrum, La Santissima Annunziata. It was the first modern
performance since the early 18th century.
It is a quite remarkable piece in more than one way. It was
composed and performed in 1700 on a libretto by Cardinal Ottoboni, and
received a second performance in 1708, which is notable considering the
fact that most compositions in those days were performed just once and
then laid to rest in the archives.
"The libretto tells the tale of the virgin Mary, who, after
receiving the Archangel's message, is hesitant to accept her fate:
after much consideration and the intervention of the remarkable
allegoric trio of Virginity, Modesty and Suspicion, the Virgin
welcomes her holy child and the joy and pain he will bring", according
to the programme notes. One would expect a more or less static piece,
but although the oratorio is not much more than a kind of 'inner
dialogue' within the character of the Virgin Mary, it is in fact a
pretty dramatic work.
The overture is so short that the entrance of Mary comes as a
surprise. The same happens after her first aria: the orchestra plays a
short sinfonia, and then all of a sudden the Angel bursts into the
scene with his announcement to Mary that she is going to be the mother
of Christ. And both parts of the oratorio end rather surprisingly.
Both in the vocal parts - Mary, the Angel, and the three 'inner
voices', called 'Pensiero di Verginità', 'Pensiero di Humiltà' and
'Pensiero di Sospetto' respectively - and the instrumental parts the
text is eloquently illustrated. The orchestral scoring is very modest:
only strings and basso continuo, but Scarlatti uses them to great
effect.
This oratorio was well performed by both soloists and orchestra,
although I think some singers used a little too much vibrato, in
particular the soprano Margherita Tomasi (Pensiero di Verginità) and
the balance between singer and orchestra wasn't always ideal. Marta
Almajano as the Virgin Mary and Emmanuela Galli as the Angel were
particularly impressive. The mezzosoprano Romina Basso (Pensiero di
Humiltà) and the tenor Carlo Putelli (Pensiero di Sospetto) were new
names to me, but certainly singers to remember.
A festival like this is a great opportunity to present an unknown
piece to a larger audience. Hopefully it will stimulate the interest in
Alessandro Scarlatti, who - in spite of recent performances and
recordings - is still an unknown quantity to many music lovers. That
should change - Alessandro Scarlatti is a forgotten master. Perhaps he
should be 'composer in residence' in one of the next editions of the
festival.

The festival goes on, but I take a break in order to spend some time and energy to things which are more important.
The Fourth Commandment is one of the greatest gifts to mankind. Strongly recommended.

The overall
subject of this year's festival is "10 centuries of polyphony". One of
the earliest and also one of the most famous pieces of polyphony is
certainly the Messe de Nostre Dame by Guillaume de Machaut. It may be
not that frequently performed live, but it has been recorded quite a
number of times. It was the subject of workshops given by Marcel Pérès
and Rebecca Stewart. In the afternoon the mass - placed in the context
of a devotional mass to the Virgin Mary - was performed by the 'Schola:
Machaut', directed by Rebecca Stewart. The performance therefore
reflected Ms Stewart's view on this work. I doubt if many music lovers
who know Machaut's mass pretty well, would have recognized it from the
performance, if they hadn't known beforehand that it was this mass
which was going to be performed. The interpretation was different from
any performance I have ever heard.
The first thing striking me was the very slow tempo: the whole
performance lasted about an hour, whereas the recording by the Taverner
Consort, for instance, which also performs the mass within a liturgical
setting, takes about 45 minutes.
One of the characteristics of this mass is the alternation of long
and short notes. In her programme notes Rebecca Stewart writes: "For
him [Machaut] his French language was inseparable from his French
music. Such uniquely French qualities as the short-long phrasing and
the principle of levée (in which the supposedly unaccented short
syllable - or in music, tone - is given more emphasis than the long
syllable) may be found at every rhythmic level in the mass. This
phenomenon produces a specifically French cadence within a phrase in
which the 'normal' alternation of ebb and flow is virtually absent. The
result is a musical tension which slowly but inexorably increases until
the end of each section and movement."
I found this particularly striking in the largely homophonic and
declamatory Gloria and Credo, where the contrast to the settings of the
concluding 'Amen', in which Machaut makes use of the 'hoquetus'
technique, was much stronger than I have ever heard before.
Another remarkable aspect of this performance was the use of
dynamics: it isn't very often that crescendi and diminuendi are used in
music of the renaissance. In addition, there was a regular sliding from
one note to another or towards a single note, as well as stressing
single notes within a phrase, in particular in the plainchant. A most
peculiar effect. And then there was the specific colouring of the
voice, which is difficult to describe, but is certainly most unusual in
performances of this kind of music.
It is impossible for me to tell whether this is the right way to
perform this great work. I needed some time to get used to this way of
singing. In this performance the Messe de Nostre Dame became less
straightforward, less 'robust' and more intimate than in other
performances. In my experience the mass had a stronger emotional impact
than usual. Others may feel differently, but one thing is for certain:
provoking interpretations like this are an invaluable part of the
festival.

In the evening there were two concerts, one of which was
specifically intended for the 'Friends of the Festival'. I'm not one of
them, but as a wannabee reviewer you get everywhere. The concert was
devoted to an aspect of early music which isn't given enough attention
to: improvisation. Every musician in the field of early music is able
to improvise, for example in the addition of ornamentation. But it is
something which is mainly practiced in solo singing and playing.
Improvising as an ensemble is something which is not common in the
performance practice of early music.
The programme notes refer to improvisations on Gregorian chant in
the 11th century, a technique which resulted in the 'organum style'.
"Even in the sixteenth century, when polyphony had become most complex,
it proved possible to improvise according to certain rules. Each singer
had the cantus firmus in front of him, therefore this type of
improvisation was called 'super librum' or 'contrappunte alla mente',
'counterpoint off by heart'."
This concert by the Huelgas Ensemble, directed by Paul Van Nevel,
was devoted to this 'contrappunte alla mente'. Not that the singers
actually improvised, but the programme was consisting of compositions
which bear the traces of improvisation. Motets and mass movements were
performed which are based on a cantus firmus, by Brumel (for example
the Agnus Dei from his spectacular Missa Et ecce terrae motus), Brumel,
Palestrina and Dufay, and by lesser known masters like Forestier,
Agricola and Ashwell.
The cantus firmus could be almost everything: the hexachord
(ut-re-mi-fa-sol-la), as in two mass movements by Palestrina and De
Kerle respectively, or liturgical motifs, either plainchant or motets.
Later on secular motifs were also used, like 'Berzerette savoyenne'
(Brumel) and 'Baise moy' (Forestier).
The fact that the Council of Trent decided to ban the use secular
motifs as cantus firmus is an indication that canti firmi were supposed
to be recognized by the listeners. During the concert it wasn't that
easy - at least not for me - to recognize them, although the programme
sheet indicated which parts held the cantus firmus, and the singing of
the Huelgas Ensemble was crisp and clear. Perhaps it takes some
training and concentration to pick up the motifs composers used
throughout their masses and motets. The easiest they were recognizable
in the pieces in only two or three parts, like the ingenious 2-part
Gaudeamus omnes by Agricola and the beautiful O florens rosa in 3 parts
by Ghiselin. But in the case of Brumel's 12-part Missa Et ecce terrae
motus one wonders whether the cantus firmus was intended to be
recognized.
The concert closed with a relatively unknown piece: the Gloria
from the 6-part Missa Ave Maria by the English composer Thomas Ashwell.
I wonder which ensemble takes the challenge of real 'contrappunte alla mente'. The festival would be the place to try.

Earlier that night a concert took place which wasn't related to
the main subject of the festival. In the Muziekcentrum the ensemble Les
Folies Françoises, directed by Patrick Cohën-Akenine, interpreted three
pieces by Mozart, intended to be played at night, under the title
'Mozart Clair-obscur'. The programme started with the Serenata notturna
(KV 239) and ended with what is perhaps Mozart's best-known work, 'Eine
kleine Nachtmusik'. In between was a composition which is not that
often played, and which is unusual in its length and technical
requirements, the 'Zweite Lodronische Nachtmusik' (KV 287). In
particular the parts of the two violins are quite demanding, and in the
performance not everything was going as it should, in particular in
regard to intonation. But it is a very fine work, and in this
performance the adagio was especially very well played.
This kind of works were usually played with one instrument per
part, and the Lodronische Nachtmusik was performed this way during the
concert. Therefore it was surprising that the last item, 'Eine kleine
Nachtmusik' (KV 525) was performed with the whole ensemble: 9 violins,
3 violas, 2 cellos and double bass. Not only is it hardly accurate
historically, I believe a performance with one instrument per part does
more justice to its character. In particular the menuetto was
unsatisfying, as it lacked the necessary lightness. Fortunately the
second movement, romance, was played in the right tempo, as an andante,
not as an adagio in disguise, as so often happens.

In my report
of the second day, Saturday 27 August, I wrote that one of the problems
of this festival is the relationship between the music and the venue
where it is performed. Today, Tuesday 30 August, that was demonstrated
again. The ensemble Tetraktys, with Jill Feldman (soprano), Silvia
Tecardi (viella), Kees Boeke (recorder and viella) and Marta Graziolino
(harp), was bringing an interesting programme of music of the 14th and
15th centuries with the subject of the human body, in the medieval
poetry mostly associated with love. A number of pieces belong to what
is called the 'ars subtilior', very sophisticated and rhythmically
complex music. Composers represented were Frate Andrea de' Servi,
Franciscus Andrieu, Solage and De Machaut. The programme started and
ended with music by Guillaume Dufay, who combined elements from the
French ars nova (the polyphony of the 14th century) and the Italian
'trecento'. This music lives from the details, and unfortunately these
were almost completely lost in the large reverberation of the
Pieterskerk. I was fortunate to have a seat on the third row, and even
there it was impossible to pick up everything the music has to offer.
I'm sure the poor people who were sitting less closely to the ensemble
haven't heard much more than pleasant melodies. Jill Feldman and her
colleagues gave fine performances, as far as I can tell, although I was
a little surprised by the frequent combination of recorder and viella.

The next concert took place in the Geertekerk, a much smaller
church, which is frequently used for concerts, including performances
of chamber music. Although the performance of polyphony, like the mass
by Obrecht the German ensemble Weser-Renaissance presented, is
certainly possible in this church, I would prefer to hear that kind of
music in a larger church. The organisation of the festival should have
swapped Weser-Renaissance and Tetraktys: the first in the Pieterskerk,
the second in the Geertekerk.
Weser-Renaissance is an ensemble which mainly concentrates on
German music from the late 16th to the late 17th century. Therefore I
was a little surprised that they were invited to take part in the
celebration of Obrecht in this festival. That the ensemble is not a
real specialist in this kind of music is perhaps the reason the Missa
Salve diva parens, which was composed when Obrecht was active in
Brughes, was sung with the Italian pronunciation of Latin, which is
certainly not the way it was pronunciated in his time, as the concert
by the Capilla Flamenca (Saturday 27 August) demonstrated.
But I was quite happy with the way the ensemble, consisting of 8
singers and 4 instrumentalists, interpreted this mass. Some parts were
sung with reduced voices (only 4 singers), in other places the four
instruments - cornett and 3 sackbuts - were playing colla parte with
the voices. The mass was interspersed by two beautiful motets: Beata es
Maria and Ave regina celorum.

There were two concerts with orchestral music. The lunchtime
concert was given by the Belgian group Les Muffatti, directed by Peter
Van Heyghen, with a nice programme which started with the Concerto No.
2 from Georg Muffat's Armonico Tributo. This collection contains some
of his finest music, and the ensemble gave a very good performance of
this concerto. The next item was Telemann's Overture 'La Changeante',
containing a sequence of dance movements of French, English and Italian
origin, showing impressively the craftsmanship of the composer. The
programme ended with Handel's Concerto grosso op. 6 No. 5. I can't
remember having heard Les Muffatti before, but it certainly is a name
to remember, and I hope to hear from them in the future.

The evening concert was given by the New Dutch Academy,
directed by Simon Murphy. This orchestra has been founded specifically
to play music from the period between baroque and classicism, in
particular music from the Mannheim School. But it has also paid
attention to Corelli (last year's closing concert of the festival),
Bach and Mozart. In this concert the aim was to demonstrate how
polyphony still played a role in music of a period which tried to
develop new ways of composing. But the composers were well aware where
they came from, and were willing to keep what was worthwhile. The first
part was specifically devoted to the use of polyphony by composers of
the mid-18th century and presented a sequence of fugal pieces, preceded
by a kind of slow 'introduction'. The Adagio and fugue in d minor by
Wilhelm Friedemann Bach is a relatively well-known piece, but I had
never heard the Adagio and fugue in d minor by Johann Georg
Albrechtsberger or the Andante and Allegro in G by Florian Leopold
Gassmann. They are certainly worth being performed more often, as are
the two pieces by Franz Xaver Richter, the Symphony a 8 in D and the
Symphony a 4 in E flat, from which the fugue was played. The first part
ended with a most unsual work by Mozart, the pretty gloomy Adagio and
fugue in c minor (KV 546).
The main work in the second part was Mozart's last symphony, the
'Jupiter' (KV 551). Earlier in the week Simon Murphy, with his
orchestra, had demonstrated during a lunchtime concert what the
polyphonic element in this symphony is, in particular in the last
movement with its four different subjects. This symphony was given a
good performance, although I would have liked a little sharper
articulation now and then, and a little more breathing space between
some sections. But the quality of the orchestra is certainly
impressive, as the last item on the programme also demonstrated: the
overture to 'Die Zauberflöte', in which in particular the brass section
did excell.
Although it is understandable that the orchestra likes to play
more 'standard repertoire' from time to time, I certainly hope they
don't forget why they were founded. The first part of the programme
showed that there is a lot of good music to be discovered in the period
of about 1740 to 1780.

Yesterday I
attended the performance of one of Jacob Obrecht's masses by
Weser-Renaissance. Although I thought the acoustics of the Pieterskerk
were alright, I had preferred a little more reverberation which a
larger church would provide. This feeling was even stronger today when
I attended another concert in the Obrecht series, which again took
place in the Pieterskerk. This time the British ensemble The Clerks'
Group, directed by Edward Wickham, presented the Missa Sub tuum
praesidium, interspersed by three motets - Quod chorus vatum/Haec Deum
caeli, Factor orbis and Salve crux - while the concert ended with the
6-part Salve Regina.
In a church with a larger reverberation the singing of The Clerks'
Group would have been less tiring. I was sitting in the third row,
pretty close to the ensemble, and got weary because of the almost
continuous forte singing by the ensemble. The whole interpretation was
too monotonous and lacked the differentation which made the performance
by Weser-Renaissance so admirable. The German ensemble's performance
was characterised by a natural shaping of phrases, creating a nice ebb
and flow within the mass. In comparison, the interpretation by the
British ensemble was rather straightforward and lacked flexibility. I
also noticed a continuous vibrato in some of the voices, and the fact
that the voices of this ensemble don't blend that well.
Two aspects of the interpretation raise some question marks.
First, this mass has been composed in Antwerp. Nevertheless the Latin
text was pronunciated in Italian manner, which can't be historically
justified in any way. I don't want to generalise, but it seems to me in
particular British ensembles are taking things a little too easily in
matters like these. Secondly, one of the features of this mass is the
increase in the number of parts. The Kyrie is for 3 voices, whereas the
Agnus Dei is written in 7 parts. I don't know how this mass has been
performed in Obrecht's time, but it seems to me there are two possible
ways to deal with this. The first would be to perform it with one voice
per part. In that case the mass starts with 3 singers and ends with
seven. The other option would be to perform the whole piece with seven
singers which divide the three parts, and then gradually split into
seven independent parts. Here only the Kyrie was performed with reduced
voices (each part with two singers), whereas the two other voices
joined them in the Gloria.

I was much more pleased with the concert, given earlier in the
afternoon in the Auditorium (Academiegebouw) of the University by the
ensemble Sette Voci, founded four years ago and directed by the Dutch
baritone Peter Kooy. The five singers - Dorothee Mields, Hana
Blaziková, Dantes Diwiak, Julius Pfeifer and Dominik Wörner - are
either German or are very experienced in singing German music. That
seems to me a prerequisite for the performance of pieces from the
collection of sacred madrigals by Johann Hermann Schein, which was
published in 1623 as 'Israelsbrünnlein'. These are wonderful and very
expressive pieces on mainly biblical texts - most of them from the Old
Testament -, and written under the influence of the Italian madrigals
as they were composed in the early 17th century. Schein suggests
several options for the performance, including the use of instruments
to play colla parte. Another possibility is to perform them with basso
continuo. In this case the bass of the chord instrument doubles the
lowest vocal part (basso seguente) and can add some chords. This is the
way these madrigals were performed here - the ensemble was joined by De
Profundis, with Stephan Schultz (cello) and Masato Suzuki (organ - he
replaced the indisposed Anne-Catherine Bucher).
The five singers of the ensemble all have fine voices, which blend
very well. They are also aware of the peculiarities of these madrigals
and the content of the texts Schein has set to music. The very
expressive character of these pieces was fully exploited. One of the
most striking madrigals in this respect is 'Da Jakob vollendet hatte',
performed a capella this time, which was one of the highlights of the
concert. The strong contrasts in 'Die mit Tränen säen' (Psalm 126, vs 5
- 6) were realised very well. If there was anything to criticise it is
perhaps the singing of Dantes Diwiak, shifting from chest to falsetto
register, which wasn't always working perfectly. On the whole this was
an excellent concert, one of the highlights of the festival so far.

Jacob
Obrecht may have had the honour to be nominated 'composer in
residence', since he died 500 years ago, Thomas Tallis, probably born
in that same year, wasn't overlooked. A number of concerts were devoted
to his work. Today the British ensemble Trinity Baroque, which -
despite its name - mainly concentrates on music of the renaissance,
gave a concert with music grouped around the Missa Puer natus est. In
addition to the mass some liturgical chants were sung, as well as some
secular songs - carols and French chansons - which were sung at the
English court in Tallis' time, by composers like Cornysh, Hayne de
Ghizeghem and King Henry VIII.
In yesterday's report I showed my dismay about the neglect of
period pronunciation of Latin by The Clerks' Group in their performance
of a mass by Obrecht. I added that it seemed to me most British
ensembles are taking things too easily in this respect. I am delighted
to say that Trinity Baroque isn't one of them. The Latin texts were
consistently pronunciated the English way, which sometimes made it
difficult to follow the text as printed in the programme sheet. The
English texts of the carols were also pronunciated in a way, which
reflects the results of extensive research in this field. It is
praiseworthy that Julian Podger, the director of Trinity Baroque, and
his colleagues are willing to incorporate those into their
performances.
The use of the spatial possibilities of the Geertekerk didn't make
much sense to me. I just couldn't figure out why some pieces were sung
from the backside of the church. I also wasn't quite happy with the
inclusion of secular items into the programme. The continuous jumping
from sacred to secular and back wasn't very satisfying. And apart from
the fact that a church is not the most appropriate venue for secular
music - for acoustical reasons -, the performance seemed a little too
static and sophisticated to me.
The performance of the sacred items was much better, and I really
enjoyed the performance. The ensemble contains of fine voices, which
blend well, and generally use less vibrato than The Clerks' Group. In
regard to dynamics this performance was also much more differentiated
than yesterday's. And the concert showed that the use of period
pronunciation isn't just a matter of historical correctness. It creates
an atmosphere of authenticity which - at least in my experience -
brings the music closer to today's listener than performances which
neglect the circumstances under which the music was originally
performed.

Polyphony is also part of two large-scale sacred works by
Marc-Antoine Charpentier, which were performed by Le Concert Spirituel,
directed by Hervé Niquet, in the Muziekcentrum. The first item was the
Messe à 8 voix et 8 violons et flûtes (H 3), which was composed in the
early 1670's. Like the second piece on the programme, the Te Deum à 8
voix avec flûtes et violons (H 145), it was the direct result of a trip
to Rome, where Charpentier got acquainted with the polychoral style
which was practiced over there. In the mass the two choirs are of equal
standing, whereas in the Te Deum the large choir is contrasted by a
small choir. In both pieces some passages are set for solo voices. As
both works are written for special occasions there is a lot of 'pomp
and circumstance' here, and in both works there are a number of
passages in which the orchestra can shine. The fact that the scoring of
the Te Deum doesn't include trumpets and drums doesn't diminish its
brilliant effect.
In these large-scale works there is less opportunity to illustrate
the text in the music. In these pieces Charpentier uses the polychoral
structure to pay attention to elements in the text. In the Sanctus of
the Mass the glory of God, as referred to in the second section (Pleni
sunt coeli et terra gloria sua), is depicted by a gradual increase in
the number of parts. And in the Te Deum he uses the same practice on
the same words (Pleni sunt coeli et terra: majestatis gloriae tuae). In
the Credo of the Mass Charpentier doesn't miss the opportunity to
underline the eternal rule of Christ, by frequently repeating the word
'non' (cuius regni non erit finis).
Charpentier's music proved again to be very impressive and
enjoyable. It was given a generally good, although not entirely
satisfying performance. I didn't like the vibrato by some of the
soloists, and I also noted that in the fast passages there was a lack
of clarity, which sometimes made the text difficult to understand. I
know that Hervé Niquet isn't afraid of very fast tempi - he rather
seems to like them -, but unfortunately this sometimes means the
articulation becomes a little muddy, as was the case here.

Whereas
most concerts devoted to polyphony contained vocal music, like masses
and motets, today the lunchtime concert saw an ensemble of five
recorders playing music of the late 15th and the 16th century. The
ensemble Mezzaluna was founded in 2003 by its director, the Belgian
recorder player Peter Van Heyghen, with the specific goal to perform
polyphonic music written between around 1480 and 1630. They make use of
a consort of recorders made by Adrian Brown in Amsterdam. The recorders
are careful copies of historical instruments preserved in European
museums.
Shortly after its foundation the ensemble was playing in the
festival in Utrecht. Then the programme was mainly devoted to motets
and mass movements in period transcriptions for a consort of
instruments. This time the programme was a little lighter in character,
perhaps more appropriate to be played in a lunchtime concert, which
attracts a wider audience than just the early music diehards.
It was a nice programme, well put together, consisting of chansons
and madrigals in period transcriptions. Among them well-known pieces
like Obrecht's Tandernaken and Josquin's La Spagna and Plusieurs
regretz. There were also lesser-known compositions, like the madrigal
S'un medesimo ardor by Jan Nasco. Although the programme consisted
mainly of pieces which can be considered examples of renaissance
entertainment, they still require a lot of concentration from the
audience, in particular if they are played on rather intimate
instruments like recorders. In 2003, when I heard the ensemble, I
considered their playing style a little too academic. This time they
did better, and especially in a sequence of pieces from a book of dance
music published by Susato they played with the vividness the music asks
for. I was impressed by the qualities of their instruments and the
purity of the playing.

Transcriptions of polyphonic works were also played in a
concert by La Bassa Fiamenga, a cooperation between two keyboard
players, the Dutchman Menno van Delft and the Italian Stefano
Demicheli. They met some years ago during performances of Handel's
Agrippina in Brussels and decided to play together. As there is not
that much repertoire for two keyboard instruments, playing
transcriptions is inevitable. Two ensemble pieces for 8 voices in 2
choirs by Giovanni Gabrieli, written with the specific spatial
possibilities of the San Marco in Venice in mind, were played here on
two harpsichords. The effect of pieces for 'chori spezzati' in a large
church is largely lost on two harpsichords in a relatively small church
like the Lutherse Kerk, in particular as the two harpsichords were very
close to each other. But there was no other option than this, as also
four sonatas from Bernardo Pasquini's 'Sonate per due bassi continui'
were played. The composer only notated the bass line, which the players
have to elaborate on. I don't know to what extent the players were
really improvising or whether they had at least partially prepared
their treatment of the material. The result did sound spontaneous
enough to suggest they were largely improvised.
That was indicative of the whole concert. In my experience Menno
van Delft is not the most extraverted and spirited player, at least not
on the harpsichord (for whatever reason he is much more outgoing when
playing the clavichord), but it seems the cooperation with his Italian
colleague does have a positive influence on him. The concert ended with
Bach: two fugues from the 'Kunst der Fuge' and the original version -
without strings - of the Concerto for 2 harpsichords (BWV 1061), which
were given very energetic performances.

The evening concert was devoted to a rarity: an oratorio by
Buxtehude, or rather attributed to Buxtehude. 'Wacht! Euch zum Streit
gefasset macht' is preserved in anonymous parts in the 'Düben
collection', a collection of vocal and instrumental pieces, put
together by Gustav Düben, music director at the Swedish court and
friend of Heinrich Schütz (the collection is now at the University of
Uppsala in Sweden). It was discovered in 1924 and attributed to
Buxtehude, and published in 1939 under the title 'Das jüngste Gericht'.
Ton Koopman, having finished his project of recording the complete
cantatas by Bach, is now preparing a recording of the complete works by
Buxtehude. As part of this project he performed this oratorio in
Muziekcentrum Vredenburg. If this work was indeed written by Buxtehude
it will probably have been performed during the 'Abendmusiken', which
took place in Lübeck - where Buxtehude was organist from 1668 until his
death in 1707 - on a regular basis, originally weekly, but under
Buxtehude's direction only five times a year, mainly because of his
ambitious programming. It is questionable, though, whether this work
which consists of three 'actus', would have been performed during one
concert. Considering its length - about two and a half hours - it seems
more likely that is has been intended for a performance over a couple
of days.
Although the title it was given in the publication of 1939 is a
modern invention, it is a correct indication of what the oratorio is
all about. It is a warning against a unholy life in the perspective of
the last judgment. In the first 'Actus' three characters are introduced
as examples of this unholy life: Der Geitz (avarice), Die
Leichtfertigkeit (frivolity) and Die Hoffarth (arrogance). The arias,
in strophic form, are alternated with quotations from the Bible -
mostly sung by the bass - and chorales.
The fact that the arias are strophic suggests a certain simplicity
- and although that is not incorrect there are striking harmonic
peculiarities which illustrate the content of the text. I had the
feeling that the performance didn't always pay enough attention to
them, in particular because of the generally fast tempi. Sometimes
these were so fast that the singers were gasping for breath and the
text wasn't always clearly articulated. The choir was too big in my
view, and as a result the choral sound was too thick and heavy, and not
as transparent as it should be.
The soloists, who were also singing with the choir in the choral
parts, were generally good. Klaus Mertens was excellent in his delivery
of the biblical quotations, although the use of the regale register of
the organ in these parts sometimes almost drowned out his singing. The
three sopranos Orlanda Velez Isidro, Caroline Stam and Johannette Zomer
were all in fine form. Robin Blaze (alto), although singing well,
seemed a little out of touch - I would have preferred a less
British-sounding voice here. The tenor Andreas Karasiak had only a
small part to sing, and didn't do that very convincingly.
It was a most interesting performance which leaves the question
whether this is really a composition by Buxtehude. I am not qualified
to give any verdict on that. But when listening to an unknown
composition by a composer whose oeuvre is generally well-known, one
usually hears at least something familiar. In the instrumental passages
I didn't hear anything which reminded me of Buxtehude's chamber music.
And only in the third 'Actus' I sometimes was reminded of Bustehude's
cantatas, but that could be just my imagination. Hearing this work
didn't convince me it is really a work by Buxtehude.

The last day
of the festival - for me, that is - was full of English music. The
lunchtime concert started and ended with Purcell's well-known song
Music for a while, sung by the Czech soprano Irena Troupová and the
Orpheon Consort, directed by José Vázquez. The whole programme was
devoted to music as played in the homes of the English aristocracy in
the late 16th and the 17th century. Composers like Gibbons, Dowland and
Holborne were represented, played on mostly original 17th-century
English viols, which José Vázquez has collected over the years. I was
impressed by the sound the ensemble produced, and I particularly liked
the ornamentations José Vázquez, playing the discant viol, added to the
top part in the consort pieces. Ms Troupová sang several consort songs
by Gibbons, Byrd and an anonymous composer as well as another song by
Purcell, the highly dramatic 'The Blessed Virgin's Expostulation'. She
has a nice voice, which is well suited to this kind of music. She did
use a little too much vibrato now and then, though, and her English
pronunciation definitely needs some improvement ...

English polyphony of another kind was displayed in a concert
with keyboard music of English composers around 1600: Byrd, Bull,
Gibbons, Farnaby, Tisdale, Morley and Randall. This repertoire was
played on the replica of a Dutch harpsichord, built by Lodewijk
Theeuwes in 1579. The first owner of the original was Anthony Roper,
friend of Thomas Tallis and William Byrd. This gives some indication as
to what kind of instruments were played at the end of the 16th century
in England.
What better way to end a festival than a concert given by one of
the pioneers of the early music movement, Gustav Leonhardt. At the age
of 77 he is still going strong, and none of his qualities have faded
away. He impressed one again with a concentrated performance, based on
a thorough knowledge of the style of the English virginalists. His
ornamentation is exquisite and tasteful, but never exaggerated. He
doesn't impress with very fast tempi, but with a great and inimaginable
sense of rhythm. His playing style may be characterised as
'analytical', this doesn't mean his performances are dry and academic.
Far from it. A whole programme of music by English virginalists can be
a little tiring after a while, but careful programming and a fine sense
for the character of every individual piece are all part of Leonhardt's
artistry. After listening to a performance like this one can only hope
he will stay healthy and give us something to enjoy in the years to
come.

Time to look back at the Holland Festival Early Music
2005. As always the final verdict can only be based on what I have
heard, which is not more than about half of the programme. But on that
basis it seems fair to say that this festival has been very succesful.
First of all, one has to congratulate the director of the festival, Jan
Vanden Bossche, for putting together a programme which was both
interesting and consistent. In the history of the festival there were
usually about four or five themes, sometimes with cross-connections
between them. This year there was only one subject: polyphony. I don't
know whether this is a deliberate change from the past, or just a
coincidence, as polyphony is so wide-ranging that it allows to
programme music of about five centuries which is all connected to that
subject. Next year the main subject will be Italian music of the 17th
century, but it would be a mistake if that would be the only one. The
preferences among the audiences are different, and some are mainly
interested in music of the middle ages and the renaissance. This
preference has to be paid attention to.
The variety in performance styles - for instance in the series
with music by Obrecht - is one of the most rewarding aspects of this
festival. And so are new views on well-known music, like Rebecca
Stewart's interpretation of Machaut's Messe de Nostre Dame.
Creating a platform for unknown repertoire has always been one of
the goals of this festival. This year we saw two pieces of 'new music':
Alessandro Scarlatti's oratorio La Santissima Annunziata and the
oratorio by Buxtehude.
And although some concerts took place which contained a combination of
early and 20th century music, there were no wild and tasteless
experiments as we have seen some years ago.
On the whole the performances I heard varied. Some were
disappointing, mostly from an interpretational point of view, not
technically - maybe with the exception of the Mozart concert by Les
Folies Françoises. Most were at least very interesting, some
thought-provoking, others just excellent.

There are some things to wish for, though. I really would like
to see the return of the programme book. Nobody is able to attend all
concerts. But even when one doesn't attend a concert it is interesting
to see what is on the programme and to read the programme notes going
along with it, in particular when the concert is devoted to the same
kind of music.
The programme sheets should be edited more carefully. Too often
they are full of printing errors, and not uncommonly recitatives and
arias are completely left out, which is very annoying.
And more attention should be payed to the relationship between the
music to be performed and the venue where the performance takes place.
It is a shame when a concert falls flat on its face because of a venue
which is wholly unsuitable.